Cast

Cast of Characters

Away From Reality began with just two characters, Alaxia and Gord, because they were the only characters I needed to tell the jokes I had in mind. Pretty quickly the cast began to grow as I thought of jokes that needed a warlock or a priest or something else to pull off. Without my intending it, I found that the main cast of characters stabilized at 5, including one tank and one healer– a ready-made dungeon group! That was when the gang had their first go at running a dungeon and the comic made its first foray into something like actual continuity. Along the way, a few recurring minor characters popped up when the main cast wasn’t right for the joke I wanted to tell.

To be honest, there is still a lot I don’t know myself about the characters. I don’t try to figure out much about the characters in advance but let them grow as the comics carry them forward. The guiding principle has always been the Rule of Funny— if it makes me laugh, it goes into the comic.

Main cast

Gord

Human warrior (protection spec)

Gord is the everyman, the average shlub. His job is to stand there and get pummeled so that other people don’t, and that takes its toll on a guy. He’s a decent fellow trying to make his way in Azeroth, but bad things just seem to keep happening to him. Not really bad things, mind you, just the petty annoyances of life– he gets no respect, not even from the monsters he’s busy killing.

Alaxia

Night elf druid

Alaxia is bookish and articulate. She is a lover of fantasy and imagination, with a healthy respect for role-playing, even though she doesn’t engage in it herself. She is self-conscious about being a female gamer surrounded by guys and tends to be sensitive about other people and creatures in the world around her.

Hurgon

Dwarf priest (holy spec)

Hurgon comes by his pessimism honestly, from long experience of being blamed when things go wrong and ignored when they go right. To be fair, though, he can be a little oblivious himself sometimes. He generally expects the worst, though that doesn’t stop him from playing his best.

Morgatha

Human warlock

Mogratha has no patience with stupidity and can be counted on to give her fellow players a hard smack up the side of the head when it’s called for. Don’t mess with her, though, and she is happy enough to live and let live. She is generally cheerful and just wants to have a good time.

Targe

Night elf hunter (Legolas spec– yes, Legolas spec)

Targe is an idiot, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. He makes up for his complete lack of understanding with unfailing enthusiasm and good cheer. His stupidity almost counts as a superpower, making him capable of things no other character can manage.

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Minor characters

Anica

Human rogue

Anica doesn’t have much of a defined personality– she’s a rogue and does roguish things like pick pockets and kill things very very fast.

Thizzible

Gnome mage

Thizzible is a role-player and plays her characters to the hilt. Last known to be role-playing as a Jewish gnome.

Zhanashkar

Death knight

While not really a role-player, Zhanashkar is deeply into the dark, edgy vibe of his character. At times, perhaps, he takes it a little too far.